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The Constitutional Monarchy of Cozzonia and the Lewys Islands
The Constitutional Monarchy of Cozzonia and the Lewys Islands (often simply referred to as 'Cozzonia') has a rather complicated history. It begins in the year 1629 when a small group of English and Welsh settlers sailed west into the Atlantic Ocean in the hopes of discovering new land to live on. About a month later, they came upon an archipelago of ten islands: one large island in the north, and a cluster of nine smaller ones immediately below it. During their voyage, a set of political and ideological differences emerged between two factions. Unable to reconcile these differences, the two groups split up. The more moderate royalists took up residence on the large island which they dubbed Cozzonia, and the more radical anti-royalists developed a government of their own on the smaller islands, the Lewys Islands. Both names, 'Cozzonia' and 'Lewys' are derived from the surnames of two powerful families among this group of settlers. In 1631, two years after reaching land, both of the new settlements declared their independence officially, establishing their own constitutions. Cozzonia was ruled by a monarch, the first of which was King Victor I, and the Lewys Islands were under the leadership of a governing council, the 'Grand Island Assembly', in which 9 representatives (one from each island) established legislation. As time went on each new nation began to prosper, developing new industries and laws. However, tensions were high between Cozzonia and the Lewys Islands. With a rather long distance between them and the nearest country (Ireland), trade was difficult to establish. The two island nations did share strong diplomatic ties, but political extremists and revolutionaries in both countries sought to undermine the other. In 1666, just one week prior to the Great Fire of London, a band of Lewysian terrorists executed King Victor I and laid siege to the castle, Fort Rhys. War immediately broke out and there were a great many casualties. About 90 percent of the violence took place on the main island of Cozzonia, yet the monarchy was still able to edge out the slightest victory over their neighbors to the south. Seeing as how the fighting was started by Lewysian extremists, most of the citizens of the Lewys Islands were not supportive of the war. With a stunning loss of population and resources, the two micronations agreed to overcome their differences and reach a compromise: they would become one single country under a constitutional monarchy, not an absolute one, meaning that there would still be a king or queen to rule, but their power would be put in check by the Grand Island Assembly (a Parliament-like institution). In the aftermath of the war, the nation was rebuilt quickly and efficiently under the rule of King William I, Victor's eldest son and heir to the throne. Since then, Cozzonia and the Lewys Islands have adopted a pacifist foreign policy, vowing to never again engage in violence like that which they witnessed during the war. Since then, the island nation has remained relatively quiet on the world stage, engaging diplomatically with other friendly countries and avoiding confrontation with hostile ones. This approach has led Cozzonia and the Lewys Islands to develop into a successful and innovative nation with a deep care for personal freedoms and a strong government to ensure that all citizens are treated as they should be. Volcanic activity just south of the southermost Lewys Island occasionally produces more islands along the archipelago, allowing the country to accommodate a higher population. Today, King William IV rules over the country, with a Grand Island Assembly containing 17 members (accounting for the 16 currently inhabited Lewys Islands and 1 for Cozzonia). It is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its ban on automobiles, lack of airports, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate, democratic population love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion. The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Education, and Law & Order. The average income tax rate is 68.1%, and even higher for the wealthy. The struggling Cozzonia and the Lewys Islandsian economy, worth 162 billion CMCLI Dollars a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Cheese Exports, Door-to-door Insurance Sales, and Woodchip Exports. Average income is 18,016 CMCLI Dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens. The government spends more on chasing distant comets than on basic infrastructure, Leader's speeches are beloved by insomniacs, every week is blindness awareness week, and cars have been banned. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Cozzonia and the Lewys Islands's national animal is the Dragon, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.